Visit

Explore this one-of-a-kind village, settled in 1817 and home from 1819 to 1898 of a communal society of German religious dissenters. Visit restored Zoarite buildings and businesses and enjoy a walk in Zoar’s big public garden, preserved and maintained as it was in the 1800s. Stop by the Zoar Store, built in 1833 and the commercial center of the 19th-century community. Average visit time: Allow 1+ hours

History

Founded by the German religious dissenters called the Society of Separatists of Zoar in 1817 as a communal society, Zoar Village is an island of Old-World charm in east-central Ohio. German Separatists left southeastern Germany to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. The Separatists thought that the church should be simple and bereft of all ceremony; they emphasized a mystical and direct relationship with God.